Effect of Various Agro-Climatic Conditions on the Quality and Quantity of Olive Oil

Abstract

The purpose of the research is basically to find the effect of several patterns of climate, for example, a region’s weather, rainfall altitude, etc. on the production, quality, and quantity of olive oil. Olive fruits were gathered from a couple of varieties of olive plants i.e., Arbequina and Coratina in fully young phase from the orchards of different locations of Pakistan namely, Chakwal, Nowhera, and Quetta where the climate patterns are entirely different in regard to weather, rainfall, and altitude. The extracted oil which was taken after the mechanical pressure was analyzed in various quality parameters i.e., Peroxide value, Chlorophyll content, Vitamin E, etc. The average value which was observed was not affected (P≥0.05), but every figure was lying in the given accepted scale of the International Olive Council. Major change (P≤0.05) was observed in oil content for K232, K270, Chlorophyll contents, oleic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, total antioxidant potential and total polyphenols in both the cultivars and the different regions which are mentioned above. It was observed that the olive of the Nowshera location acquires maximum average value of linoleic acid (10.99%), Linolenic acid (1.01%) and palmitoleic acid (2.74%). The second highest average value of olive oil was found was that of Chakwal, whereas Quetta has lowest average value of olive oil.  The maximum average content of K232 (3.13), K270 (0.48) and total antioxidant (48.48%) were recorded in district Chakwal. The second maximum mean values were found at Nowshera whereas, the lowest mean values of K232 (3.13), K270 (0.48) and total antioxidant (48.48%) were found at Quetta. The maximum content of oleic acid (72.59%), palmitic acid (19.00%) and total polyphenols (28.97) were found in the olive oil of Quetta succeeded by Chakwal whereas, the content of oleic acid (72.59%), palmitic acid (19.00%) and total polyphenols (28.97) were found lowest in the oil of Nowshera. In a nutshell, it is clear from the above-mentioned experiment which was performed at different locations; that changing climatic patterns has a significant effect on the quantity of the oil. It has also a significant impact quantitative production of olive oil.